Late Fg Offr OD Agnihotri (www.bharat-rakshak.com)

LATE O D AGNIHOTRI's COLLECTION

Weekend Flying with the Auxillary Air Force

ARUN AGNIHOTRI

Aux Air Force

OD Agnihotri left the Air Services of India in 1948 when he joined the Indian Railways Traffic Services (IRTS) as a Wartime candidate.

He would spend the rest of his career with the Railways, until 1980 when he passed away due to a heart attack.

Even during his service in the railways, his love for flying and the IAF saw him a part of the Auxillary Air Force. He was a regular member of the AAF and flew with the Delhi Based Squadron.

He flew Harvards and later Vampires during his service in the AAF. The incident in which he forcelanded a Harvard after an engine fire has already been recounted in his profile. He was commended by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee on that occasion.

	A briefing going on - Unidentified pilots engaged in a discussion.
Members of the Auxillary Air Force - Who are they?
	Jaggi uncle...that's how we knew him. I cannot remember his full name. You can tell by his medals that he is a battle scarred veteran himself - He is also seen in one of the old WW2 photos
"Agni and Jaggi", with a Harvard of the AAF Squadron
	OD Agnihotri and Jaggi (Standing 2nd and 3rd from left) with other members of the Delhi AAF Sqn.
At one of the Squadrons Dinners. OD Agnihotri is seated on the chair, center left. Standing third from right is Fg Offr Chandru Bhojwani, who left after the AAF was disbanded.
	Another Scene from the Dinner
OD Agnihotri seated in chair , first from Left. again believed to be from one of the AAF Squadron's Dinners. Seated in the front row are Fg Offr Chandru Bhojwani (2nd from left) and Flt Lt Mian Niranjan Singh (3rd from left)
	The Harvard Forced Landing incident was reproduced in the Northern Railways Magazine.
One of the Vampires of the Aux Air Force that replaced the Harvards.
	OD Agnihotri, after a sortie in a Vampire FB52.
Pilots of the Aux Air Force Squadron. Seated on the left is Mian Niranjan Singh, who later joined the regular air force and went on to command No.27 Squadron in the late 60s.